ArticleTropical medicine & international health : TM & IH2022
Where and why do we lose women from the continuum of care in maternal health? A mixed-methods study in Southern Benin.
Article in Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Utilisation and associated socio-demographic factors related to the maternal continuum of care in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of global health · 2024Pooled it
- Determinants and gaps influencing zero-dose immunization and maternal Health service utilization in Nigeria: a cross-sectional household survey across six Nigerian states.Global health action · 2026Article
- The lived experience, perceptions, and barriers of continuum of maternal health care services utilization: a qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Where and why mothers discontinue healthcare services: a qualitative study exploring the maternity continuum of care gaps in Somalia.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Coverage of continuum of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) care in a nationally representative sample of 40,687 mother-child dyads of India: a report from NFHS-5.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Article
- Improving complex health systems and lived environments for maternal and perinatal well-being in urban sub-Saharan Africa: the UrbanBirth Collective.Journal of global health · 2025Article
- Dynamics of care and sector use between birth, contraception and sick child services.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Trends and inequalities in antenatal care coverage in Benin (2006-2017): an application of World Health Organization's Health Equity Assessment Toolkit.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- "Letting themselves go during care" - exploring patient autonomy during co-designed intrapartum care in a Beninese maternity ward.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2024Article
- Article
- State of the maternal healthcare continuum in Guinea, awaiting the next Demographic and Health Survey: the case of the five communes of Conakry in 2022.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2024Article
- "To give life is a journey through the unknown": an ethnographic account of childbirth experiences and practices in Southern Benin.Sexual and reproductive health matters · 2023Article
- Determinants of timing, adequacy and quality of antenatal care in Rwanda: a cross-sectional study using demographic and health surveys data.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Article
- Where and why do we lose women from the continuum of care in maternal health? A mixed-methods study in Southern Benin.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
objectiveContinuum of care (CoC) in maternal health is built on evidence suggesting that the integration of effective interventions across pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period leads to better perinatal health outcomes. We explored gaps along the CoC in maternal health in Benin.
methodsA mixed-methods study triangulating results from a qualitative study in southern Benin with a quantitative analysis of Benin Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) data on the use of services along the CoC was conducted.
resultsBenin Demographic and Health Survey analysis showed that although 89% of women reported at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit, only half initiated ANC in the first trimester and completed 4 or more visits. 85% reported facility-based childbirth and 69% a postnatal check within 48 h after childbirth. Our qualitative study confirms early initiation of ANC and the transition from facility-based childbirth to postnatal care are important gaps along the CoC and reveals late arrival at health facility for childbirth as an additional gap. These gaps interact with spiritual and alternative care practices that aim to safeguard pregnancy and prevent complications. Structural factors related to poverty and disrespectful care in health facilities compounded to limit the utilisation of formal healthcare.
conclusionsThe combined use of BDHS and qualitative data contributed to highlighting critical gaps along the maternal CoC. A lack of integration of spiritual or alternative aspects of care into biomedical services, as well as structural factors, impeded access to healthcare in Benin.
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